How to Achieve & Maintain excellent Client Service

Being a business developer, I am constantly in the face of the client! I am there doing the constant follow up calls to maintain excellent client service levels and one thing that stands out for me is how appreciative clients are of good service. Recruiters often have a bad reputation, which I feel may be caused by the fast-paced environment we work in! If a Recruiter is not organized, often the small administrative duties may fall through the cracks! The lack of communication to regretted candidates and non-qualification of new job specifications may cause one to send CV’s to clients that do not fully match what their client is looking for.

This brings me back to my client services.

What qualifies as excellent service to your clients?

How to execute high service levels to your clients?

How to maintain high service consistently?

What qualifies as excellent service to your clients?

It is not always possible to please everyone, however, if you understand your clients’ needs you can come very close to being an excellent service provider. The secret to excellent service is communication and giving you client exactly what they need when they need it. If you are in a business services position and you are not flexible enough to tailor make your packages to suit your clients you may win some however you will lose many. It is best to always set yourself up for success by putting your clients’ needs first. You need to understand and respectfully communicate when the customer is not right by having a transparent discussion with them may allow them to see your point of view which will lead to a mutual agreement on how to move forward with the service you provide them, once the agreement of service has been made the next step falls on you to execute.

How to execute high service levels to your clients?

Communication yet again forms a major part of excellent client servicing. In my view your client needs to become “your best friend” – there needs to be an open yet professional relationship whereby if they ever need anything you need to be their first point of call. Following that you need to set an expectation of when the problem will be address or when you will be able to deliver on your promise to them. Do not try to impress the client by setting unrealistic time frames rather under promise and over deliver. Having said that though do not be mediocre and under promise and miss your deadlines as well, or produce mediocre work because that will break the trust relationship between the client and yourself. Always give your client feedback on the progress of resolving their problem or the status of their request to you, that way they can make provision should it take longer than expected or should you be able to deliver before time.

How to maintain high service consistently?

Maintaining high service levels is not rocket science it’s very easy to achieve. You need an efficient team working with you to service the client, everyone in the team needs to come to the party and make sure that the service/product provided is exceptional. Here again communication is key, never stop contacting your client, even if it is to just check in on them or to remind them you still have a vested interest in assisting them where needed. Follow through on your promises, understand everything about their business including the value you add to it.

In closing it is imperative to stay true to your brand and your company values as this is what drives excellent service to your clients. Having a positive outlook on life and the service you provide leads to better results in the service delivery. Be consistent and genuinely care for your clients.